The good you ought to do

It has been a few days. Things have been rather busy and I have found difficulty in trying to get everything done. Speaking of doing, have you ever had the feeling that you should do something, then, not do it? I am sure we have all  had that feeling, that urging that we were supposed to do something for someone but we ended up not doing it.

How about the little things? Ever did something that you knew you shouldn't do but you did it anyway? You know, everyone else does it. No one will ever know. The way they have treated me, I deserve this. As much as they have, they will never miss what little bit I take. Any of that sound familiar?

Today's word comes from James 4:17, NIV, which reads, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them."

It doesn't matter if everyone else is doing it. It doesn't matter if no one will ever know. It doesn't matter what you think you deserve. It doesn't even matter how much someone else has. It doesn't even matter that we know what is right. No, what matters is doing what is right. What matters is doing what is right, even when what is right is the last thing we want to do. Why? Because we are GOD'S children and reflect Him.

James tells us that if we know what we ought to do, and we do, then, when we don't do it, it is sin. It takes action. It isn't about knowing what is right, it is about doing. It is about doing the good you ought to do.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

Prayed lately?

In our busy lives, it seems that we often run out of time to do some of the most crucial things. We are so tired with all that we have going on that we can't find the time to unwind and exercise, which would do us more good than we could ever imagine. We are always running and trying to do the next thing that we often eat whatever we can when we can, instead of having a good, balanced meal that would benefit us.

There are other things. The main one on my mind today is prayer. It seems that there is so much going on and I am always behind that I don't seem to have the time to devote to prayer that I should, or that I would like. Oh, I pray, and GOD listens to all our prayers; and, He knows how busy we are. But, I really love those times when I can just concentrate on talking to GOD.

Today's word is Colossians 4:2, NIV, which reads, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

Just as we need to be diligent in our attempts to exercise and eat right and rest and unwind, we also need to be diligent in our efforts to commune and communicate with GOD. We need to be devoted to praying, to talking with our Heavenly Father. Yes, He already knows but He still wants to hear from us.

This verse also reminds us to be watchful, to be sure that we don't let that relationship slip. It is easy to get overwhelmed with everything else and become slack in our prayer life. We also need to be thankful; every good and perfect gift comes from above. GOD has blessed me so much with so much that I cannot thank Him enough. I need to thank Him every chance I get. Thank You, LORD, for being so good to me, for being such a loving and devoted Father.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

Happy Birthday Pops

Today would be my Pops' 75th birthday. Pops passed away eleven days after his 74th birthday; it's been almost a year. I miss him everyday. Pops and I were buddies. Now, when I was growing up, he was Pops, the disciplinarian, the authoritarian, the father that fathers should be. However, as I grew into my "own man", we became pretty good buddies. It is amazing that the older I got, the smarter he became.

Pops was never into sports. He grew up on a farm, plowing with mules, working in the cotton fields; he never had time for sports. I came along and loved sports, which Pops didn't understand but accepted. He grew to love baseball, especially the Atlanta Braves. He and I had a lot of conversations about baseball, and about life, while working, fishing, just sitting on the porch. I miss him.

Today's word is one I have probably used before but it reminds me that I will see Pops again. John 16:22, NLT, reads, "So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy."

Losing someone you love to death is painful. There are no words to describe it; there is no magic bullet to fix it. But knowing that I will see Pops again makes his passing a little easier. One day we will sit around again and talk about baseball on the porch of our Father's house. Happy Birthday Pops! I love you!

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

There are choices

Choices, choices, choices. We make choices all day every day without even thinking about most of them. We decide what we are going to eat, what we are going to wear, what we are going to do to entertain ourselves. There are lots of choices to make.

We make choices concerning how we talk to and around others. We make choices concerning what we listen to and how we allow that to affect us. We make choices concerning how we will live our lives and what we will fight for and what isn't worth it. Yep, there are choices to make.

Today's word is just a thought that developed from something I read a while back. It is simply, "When something bad happens, you can either let it define you, destroy you, or motivate you."

Bad things are going to happen; no one is immune to it. No matter how hard you are trying, no matter how much you put forth the effort, no matter how hard you are trying to "live right", bad things are going to happen from time to time.

It really sucks when things go bad! However, when they do go bad, and they will, we have a choice to make. We can let those bad things define us - today is bad, every day is going to be bad. We can let those things destroy us - mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually. Or, we can use those things to motivate us - Yes, today is bad but I am going to push hard for a better tomorrow.

Bad things will happen. Our reaction is our choice.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

College Football

I really like college football, especially SEC football. There is something special about SEC football that makes it almost addictive. I say, "Almost," because I am not as addicted as I once was. I used to be so bad that it would keep me awake at night when my team lost, and my team has done some losing (they've done some winning too).

How silly it is when I look back now at how I used to let it consume me. I mean, there are young men that played the game, even professionally, that realized that it's a lot of fun but it isn't the most important thing. I think of John Croyle, Danny Wuerffel, Tim Tebow, Jay Barker, Will Herring, and countless others that realized that the biggest thing they could get out of sports was the opportunity to share GOD'S word, and it's an amazing word.

Today's word is 1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV, which reads, "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived - the things GOD has prepared for those who love Him."

Yes, I love my life. I love living this life. I am having a ball here on earth. But, it pales in comparison with what is awaiting GOD'S saints. I love the way the scripture describes it - NO eye has see, NO ear has heard, No human mind can conceive - we can only imagine what GOD has prepared for those who love Him.

College football is great! I really like it. But, I am reminded by the example of those who saw that it was for a season, it was a stepping stone to where GOD wanted them. It's not just college football. Whatever GOD has you doing, use it for His glory and to lead others to His blessings.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

Speak what is true

While no one likes to admit it, we have all lied from time to time. I am not proud of lying. As a matter of fact, I am ashamed for lying. The funny thing is, I have lied about some of the most minor, minute things - things that would never have mattered but I lied about anyway. It is a shame...

As I have gotten older, I have become much better at speaking the truth. That's not to say that I don't still occasionally lie. I think we all know when a little untruth is the right thing to do. If someone asks if you like their new hairstyle, the truth may be that you don't, but, to save the friendship, you'll say, "I really like it." In instances such as that, I have gotten better at saying, "I like it if you do," and I leave it at that.

Today's word is from Proverbs 8:7, NIV, which reads, "My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness."

When it comes to sharing the love of CHRIST with others, I speak the truth. The truth is that GOD loves you. He doesn't want you to spend eternity separated from Him. He has made a Way through JESUS CHRIST for us to have an everlasting relationship with the ONE TRUE GOD. That is the TRUTH.

All the other things, "working your way to Heaven", following a strict code to merit Heaven, "killing the infidel" are all lies that GOD detests and will not proceed from my lips. The world needs to hear the TRUTH. So many folks are trying to spread lies that some people will believe; let's tell them the TRUTH!

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

Troubled Waters

The conference I have attended this week has been in New Orleans. In 2005, New Orleans was completely ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, which left thousands dead, hundreds of thousands homeless, and millions eternally changed.

People often ask why this happens or why that happens or why this particular thing happened to such a good person or why bad people never seem to have anything happen to them. The truth of the matter is that things happen. Even on our best day, something bad can, and often does, happen. It is just a reminder that we live in a fallen and evil world.

Today's word is a quote I came across that I do not know who originally said, "We are sometimes taken into troubled waters, not to be DROWNED but to be CLEANSED."

I don't know why bad things have to happen, other than the fact that we live in a fallen and evil world. I do believe, though, that sometimes we go through things to purge the bad things out. Your clothes would never get clean if the washing machine didn't agitate them. If we didn't have to go through a few things every now and then, we would never wash off what fouls us.

There is no doubt that I need a good reminder from time to time about how dirty I really am. Yes, I try to live right; I try with everything I have to be the person that GOD wants me to be. Yet, there are times I go through the wringer. I will try to remember that the troubled waters aren't there to drown me, but to cleanse.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T